Talk Travel Asia podcast welcomes back Phillip Cornwel Smith to talk about his latest publication: Very Bangkok. There’s no doubt that Bangkok is one of the world’s most visited cities. Its sites are some of the most featured on Instagram, and almost everyone will come up with some mental pictures of the city, good and bad, the moment they hear the name. Founded in 1782 when the Chakri Dynasty established Bangkok as Thailand’s capital, it’s a vibrant, dynamic city that dazzles the senses at every turn. Some love it, others hate it, and all with good reason. Today we’ll explore the City of Angels well beyond the surface with longtime resident and author Philip Cornwel Smith, who will share insights from his book Very Bangkok.
Continue readingIf you travel, you almost always end up spending a reasonable amount of time in a hotel or lodging of some sort. Your room and property typically plays a key role in your experience, especially if it’s a special trip or one to a new part of the world you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. You’ve likely had a hotel experience that you still remember due to a few special touches and you’d go back in a flash if you were there again. And you’ve likely also stayed somewhere that was a bust and tainted your overall memories of a destination. On this episode we’ll go beyond the throw pillows and welcome drink to think about what makes a great hotel experience, with Jason Friedman, a longtime luxury hotelier specializing in Asia.
Continue readingOn this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast we explore riding Asian trains. Train travel is one of the most in-touch and connected ways to travel. Many a novel has been written around such journeys and the romance therein. With the advent of air travel and the cost of doing so dropping, train travel has become not as economical as it once was. At the same time, many countries are upgrading their rail systems, and others still rely on decrepit ones, which can be part of the appeal and charm. On this episode we’ll chat with train travel expert, Mark Smith, also known as The Man in Seat 61, who maintains the world’s top website for train travel information.
Continue readingThis week’s episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast is about Rock Climbing in Asia. Sometimes when we go on holiday we like to participate in an activity we enjoy doing at home. Sometimes that’s even the entire point of traveling to a certain place such as a liveaboard scuba trip in the Philippines or a skiing trip to Japan. We’ve done a few episodes on sports-travel in Asia over the years: kayaking along the west coast of Thailand, hiking and mountain biking in Hong Kong, trekking and mountain climbing in the Himalayas, and even skiing in Iran. Today we’re going to talk about rock climbing: an activity that’s quite popular here in Asia, both as something to try out when you’re on holiday as well as an activity that can be a destination in itself.
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#88 – Favorite Watering Holes in Asia II: our favorite bars in Asia.
- October 1, 2018
- Tagged as: best bars in bangkok, best bars in phnom penh, favorite bars in asia, favorite bars in cambodia, favorite bars in thailand, favorite places to drink in asia, stuart mcdonald, Talk Travel Asia podcast, travel guide southeast asia, travelfish.org, whats the best southeast asia travel website, where to drink in Asia
Hot places go cold, new joints open up, but there’s always somewhere to drink in Asia. In this episode we share some of the most memorable and enjoyable spots in the region to enjoy a drink (or two or three) and night out that we’ve experienced over the last few years. Get thirsty and ready to paint the town red! Lots of hot tips on this episode to be had! So, if you’re looking for a bar in Asia to find some of the best drinks around, look no further than our Favorite Watering Holes in Asia.
Culture shock is certainly something that occurs when traveling abroad. Here in Asia there are many curious customs and holidays that are so different what we experience at home. We actually did an episode on Interesting Asian Holidays (Episode 62). On this episode we talk about some wild and wacky experiences and attractions in Asia, some of which we have experienced and some of which we have not…yet. Continue reading
Our guest today is a travel writing legend. Joe Cummings has been living and working in Southeast Asia for decades. He’s authored scores of travel guidebooks and a host of specialty-focus books on everything from Buddhist Stupas in Asia to traditional Thai tattoos. He’s perhaps best known for being the original Lonely Planet Thailand guidebook writer. He is also an accomplished guitar player and all around nice guy. If you’re looking for someone who knows a ton about Southeast Asia – Joe Cummings is your man.
Episode 58: Asian Bar Game Olympics
A game cafe trend took off in Asia a few years back that included both board game cafes and beer pong tournaments, and it doesn’t seem to be dying down. Today, there are a wealth of opportunities to get your game on both in and out of bars across the region. In fact Scott and I recently organized and competed in the first Bangkok Bar Games Olympics. Today we are going to talk about a variety of places to play different games across Asia, everything from family fun to just get drunk.
On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast, we talk with Chomwan Weeraworawit about the rich textile history and diversity across the region and how you can experience it.
The only thing that stays the same is that things are constantly changing and that’s nowhere more true than in rapidly developing Asia. Scott & Trevor talk about how places change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but they always change. Often it’s your memory that’s not accurate too and the people you were with, mood you were in, etc, can impact how you remember a place. On this episode of Talk Travel Asia podcast, Trevor and Scott talk about how a number of places in Asia that they know well have changed over the years, both for good and for bad.
Many parts of Southeast Asia are famous for snorkeling and SCUBA diving. There are few parts of the world with as many great areas to get your face and body under the water than over here in the tropics. Countries including the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, in particular, have world-class snorkeling and diving sites. If you’re thinking of getting your open water certification, want to get dives in, or love snorkeling, Southeast Asia is the place. Today we’ll chat about our favorite locations to get in and under the water and share tips from some of our friends. Get ready to get wet! Continue reading
Today we feature a real adventurer: someone pushing the envelope of creativity in travel and transportation, going above and beyond the beaten path. Many people take at least one trip per year, then spend the rest of the year dreaming about their next one. For some, this trip is a week or so in length, but there are a growing number individuals that are finding creative ways to make travel their full-time gig. These people roam the world experiencing places and activities, then blog about them, take photos, videos, and find creative ways to generate a full-time income. Today we’ll chat with Ric Gazarian, an American who’s been doing just that for a number of years.